Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Sweden has never won the Eurovision song contest with a male solo artist but this year they are really trying. The final next Saturday (along with the one in Norway) is the last of the season 2015 and it is filled with muscled guys who seem to love parade half naked showing off. Some of them can also sing and perform, some... well, a bit less so. The main contenders seem to be Måns Zelmerlöv and Eric Saade . Then there's  Jon Henrik Fjällgren to shake the things a bit. Let's see who wins that fight. It seems both Måns and Eric need to beat Jon first, but then also each other to win.  Samir Badran and Victor Frisk are also ready for the battle even if they had to make it through the second chance round. They know how to pose but that's just about all it is about... Barking dogs don't bite. Samir also challenges Linus Svenning  with the tattoo department. Linus can deliver, we know that, but Samir ... well, he gives great poses. And what about th...

Swedish Melodifestivalen is one stop short from the final. Before that we have the second chance or Andra chansen round that is done in duels. The only one that I really want for the final here is Dolly Style, the rest I don't care and the last duel is the thoughest; which one is worse? Anyways, I have indicated a little * for my favorites. Saturday night we know how this ends and who joins the final line up. They are: * Andreas Weise - Bring out the fire Vs. Linus Svenning - Forever starts today Hasse Andersson - Guld och gröna skogar Vs. * Kristin Amparo - I see you * Dolly Style - Hello hi Vs. Dinah Nah - Make me (La la la) * Behrang Miri feat. Victor Crone - Det rår vi inte för Vs. Samir & Victor - Groupie UPDATE: The results are in and I got them all wrong, lol. Only proves that MF 2015 is less and less interesting for me..... Qualifiers are Linus, Hasse, Dinah and Samir & Victor. I doubt none of these will be bothering the top contenders...

Malmö hosts the second Melodifestivalen semifinal this season. Eurovision superveteran Marie Bergman is in the line up with national final veteran Sanne Salomonsen. Also Linus Svenning and Magnus Carlsson are back and the line up features reality tv stars Samir & Victor who apparently can't sing but it doesn't matter because they are famous for being... famous. After hearing the short snippets I'm still not impressed. Mariette could be something interesting, Magnus will fly to the final, Linus either final or Andra chansen....  Linus Svenning - Forever starts today Emelie Irewald - Där och då med dig Samir & Victor - Groupie Neverstore - If I was God for one day Marie Bergman & Sanne Salomonsen - Nonethless Magnus Carlsson - Möt mig i Gamla Stan Mariette - Don't stop believing UPDATE: Magnus and Mariette to the final, Linus and Samir & Victor to Andra chansen. Neverstore 5th, Emelie 6th, Marie & Sanne 7th.

Melodifestivalen acts will be announced next Monday and Tuesday. The rumor mill of possible participants has been running wild for weeks already and finally we know who are really in and who are not. What we know so far is that Sanna Nielsen will debut as the host and with her will be Robin Paulsson , a very well known television host, also him making his MF debut. We also know one of the contestants already, Kalle Johansson . He won the Svensktoppen nästä 2014 contest and the award was a ticket to Melodifestivalen 2015.  SVT received 2.177 songs this year and it seems the famous Swedish schlager is making a comeback. There are minor changes to the format and instead of 32 songs there will be only 28, but 12 of them will advance to the final instead of 10. Makes sense? Måns Zelmerlöv is supposed to be making a comeback to the contest, as are Lili & Susie, Linus Svenning and Charlotte Perrelli . Sean Banan has also made it clear he has sent a song. Other names ru...

Melodifestivalen 2014 is coming to an end as well. Propably the worst what comes to songs since this six week long carival was launched, and even the presenters haven't really been so loved or praised, have they? In the end the final ten is pretty ok - they could have saved us the trouble and pick up these from the beginning as the line up is very predictable and not including really any surprises. Add Shirley Clamp and Martin Stenmarck to the line up and it would have been beyond predictable. Alcazar is and remains of course the main favorite, but will they win finally? We will see. It would be a shame as this is propably their weakest MF entry ever. They do deserve to win, but not with this one. If it was up to me, I'd risk with Ace Wilder or go safe with Sanna Nielsen. But I think Ace would do better in Copenhagen after all.... How cool would be Linus winning...? 1. Anton Ewald – Natural 2. Ellen Benediktson – Songbird 3. Alcazar – Blame It On The Disco 4. Oscar ...

Andra chansen aka Second chance of Swedish Melodifestivalen is over. Now only the final is left and we will know the Swedish represant in Copenhagen 2014. First three acts were kicked out (Ammotrack 8th, Ellinore Holmer 7th, J.E,M 6th). Then the five remaining were divided into duels and 5th was out, State of Drama. First Outtrigger vs. Helena Paparizou and Helena won in the end. Then Linus Svenning vs Martin Stenmarck and Linus won. So, Helena and Linus join the other eight finalists next week. I'm ok with the results, especialy with Linus. I would have sent Outtrigger instead of Helena, if I didn't want also Helena in the final. So, three final worthy songs , a real miracle of this Saturday night is the Swedish one, not the Romanian one! There were many hickups, especially with the graphics that showed wrong results, or displayed the last two duelists before they were said. Someone in SVT isn't happy right now....

It seems the rock entries ended in the Andra chansen aka Second chance, with a very few exceptions. The only one I really want to the final is Helena Paparizou, I have kinda learned to like it, and it is catchy. But the other one? I'm between three: Linus, JEM and Outtrigger. I'd like to like Linus a bit more but something isn't yet right, J.E.M are fun if nothing original, and Outrigger for the fun of it. So let's say Helena and Outtrigger for me! Recap . Ammotrack - Raise your hands Linus Svenning - Bröder J.E.M - Lovetrigger State of Drama - All we are Ellinore Holmer - En himmelsk sång Martin Stenmarck - När änglarna går hem Helena Paparizou - Survivor Outtrigger - Echo

The Swedish Melodifstivalen kicked off last night as well. I didn't watch as the Finnish UMK final was taking place at the same time. Anyways, this blogger thinks musically MF is way overrated. Great show no doubt but in the recent years how many songs have remained? Not many....  Anyways, last night as usual there were eight songs. Two songs were sent straight to the final, two to the second chance and the rest home. YOHIO and Eurovision 2005 winner, Greek-Swede Helena Paparizou wee the pre-contest favorites and many were tipping Linus Svenning as the big surprise to come. But Swedes decided partly otherwise. YOHIO did sail to the final but he took Ellen Benediktsson with him while Linus and Helena were left to wonder what went wrong in Second chance round. I would have prefered a bit different order but indeed these four were the best songs in this semifinal. Otherwise the news were presenter Nour El Refai's unshaved underarms and her rather shaky job as presenter.... Wa...